The Very Rev. Marcus George Halley, D.Min.

College Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life

The Very Rev. Marcus George Halley, D.Min. (known around Trinity College as “Chaplain Halley”), was appointed Trinity College Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life in August 2021. Chaplain Halley is drawn to this unique intersection of higher education administration and campus ministry because of the way religion and spirituality can serve as networks of support for students navigating incredible and uncertain change while enabling them to think contemplatively and ethically about a dynamic world.

Prior to serving the Trinity College community, Chaplain Halley served as dean of formation for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut and as the priest in charge of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit (formerly Church Church and St. John’s-by-the-Sea) in West Haven, Connecticut. Chaplain Halley was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal tradition in December 2012 and a priest on the Feast of All Saints (November 1) 2013. Since his ordination, he has served in various contexts around the country including in parish ministry, diocesan ministry, and on boards and committees across the Episcopal Church.

Chaplain Halley concentrates his ministry and leadership at the intersection of his vocational and academic expertise and interests: Christian liturgy & embodied spiritual practice, reconciliation & social justice, and leadership development. Having studied in an interdenominational context, Chaplain Halley centers ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in his work, seeking to build bridges between various communities and empower diverse communities to do the work of collectively building new possibilities. Inspired by the works of Kelly Brown Douglas, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, and others, Chaplain Halley sees religious practice as a way to shape a more loving, compassionate, and just world.

He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with his husband, the Rev. Curtis Farr, and their dogs Elly and DuBois.

Degrees:

B.A., Johnson C. Smith Univesity
M.Div., Interdenominational Theological Center
S.T.M., The School of Theology at the University of the South
D.Min., The School of Theology at the University of the South

Publications:

Proclaim!: Sharing Words, Living Examples, Changing Lives. Church Publishing, New York. 2020.
Abide in Peace: Healing and Reconciliation. Church Publishing, New York. 2021.